5 Reasons to Travel to Northwest Vietnam in Spring

With the five reasons listed below, once you travel to Northwest Vietnam in spring, you will never want to miss the beauty of the magnificent valleys, the immense fields, and the exotic cultures of local ethnicities.

The Northwest is considered the most beautiful and loving land in Vietnam. The majestic mountain scenery, colorful terraced fields, or cozy kitchens of mountainous ethnic people are the things that hold visitors back. Spring, in particular, is the most beautiful season of the year, the season of new beginnings. Northwest Vietnam in spring also puts on the most beautiful and radiant look. Spring is the best time for your Northwest Vietnam trip!

1. The peach blossom

In the midst of winter, the vibrant mountain flowers paint the entire Northwest region: the pale pink of peach blossoms, the pristine white of plums, and the red of rhododendron flowers. As the early spring's chilly winds blow all over the region, peach blossoms add a warm shade of pink to the mountainous picture here..

Northwest peach blossoms in spring

Peach blossoms usually bloom in the spring, but some years they bloom at the end of November and the beginning of December. Tourists who travel to Northwest Vietnam are shocked to see a peach branch flowering with a fading pink color on the rough, thin branches. That image is both wild and lyrical, giving the Northwest mountains a distinct identity.

If you've ever driven to the Northwest in the spring and crossed the winding passes, you'll be overwhelmed when you come upon a valley of peach blossoms. You will undoubtedly be unable to resist stepping out of the car, following the pink hue to view the flowers up close, reaching out to touch those exquisite petals, and taking stunning photos.

Faded pink color of peach blossom

2. White plum flowers

Flowers are the specialty of each region, and tourists have long known to travel during the bloom seasons. It's impossible to talk about Northwest flowers without mentioning plum flowers. When traveling to Northwest Vietnam in spring, you will be delighted to find plum flowers blooming everywhere.

Plum trees typically blossom in February and give fruit near the end of summer, making them a desirable tree species for people in the Northwest mountainous region due to their ease of cultivation, high yield, and stable selling price. Besides, plum blossoms have immeasurable qualities, which contribute to attracting travelers from all over the world to visit the Northwest in spring, particularly Sapa and Moc Chau. 
The beauty of white plum blossoms is not ostentatious, but it nevertheless emits an incredible purity in the midst of the immensity of the Northwest, making many tourists fall in love.

White plum blossom in the highlands

3. Climbing the top of Fansipan in the blooming season of rhododendron flowers

When traveling to Northwest Vietnam, young people who like adventure and challenge will not pass up the opportunity to conquer the roof of Indochina at an altitude of 3143 m above sea level. Climbing Fansipan in the spring is significantly more difficult and fascinating.

 

Fansipan Peak (Photo: ngaynay)

The weather in the Northwest in the spring is extremely cold, occasionally dropping below 0 degrees Celsius. In recent years, it has often snowed in Sapa and Lao Cai. As a result of the terrible weather, climbing Fansipan appears to be twice as tough as in other seasons. This race is suitable for people who are really physically fit. Because the more difficult the challenge, the more proud and fulfilling the results are, so many people still want to climb Fansipan in the spring.

Conquering Fansipan Peak 

Furthermore, on the way up, you will pass through extensive rhododendron flower trees. Rhododendron flowers come in a variety of hues, including red, purple, and yellow, and they bloom virtually all year, but mostly in spring. You will forget your fatigue when you see the red rhododendron flowers transform the forest into a vast carpet with flickering flames.

Red rhododendron flower on Fansipan climbing road (Photo: hachi8)

 

 4. Enjoy the special fruits of Northwest Vietnam  

Although Northwest Vietnam is not known for its fruits, this mountainous region does have its own mountain and forest delicacies that are particularly appealing to gourmets. Visitors to Northwest Vietnam in spring will enjoy a variety of tasty and strange fruits.

The Northwest's specialty fruits include the Thanh Mai fruit (a fruit of the mulberry family) in Lao Cai, the peach birch tree in Sapa, the Ta Van red plum in Sapa, the Tam Hoa plum in Bac Ha, or the French peach in Moc Chau. In particular, spring is also the season of Docynia indica apples, a fruit that makes the famous wine of the people of the Northwest mountainous region; once you drink it, you will remember it forever.

Ta Van plum in Sapa (Photo: izshop)

Moc Chau’s France peaches (Photo: izshop)

However, the Northwest is close to the border with China, so you need to carefully inquire about the provenance before purchasing to prevent being mistaken with Chinese fruits, which are renowned for being poisonous.

5. Immerse yourself in festivals

Northwest Vietnam is a melting pot of ethnic diversity. Each ethnic group has its own faith and customs, resulting in incredibly rich celebrations, especially in the spring. Tourists to Northwest Vietnam in spring will freely witness colorful festivals, unique ceremonies, unusual customs, fun folk games, or young girls in colorful clothes singing and dancing to the crisp laughter of highland children.
 

The Northwest of Vietnam has many special festivals (Photo: Vietteltelecom)

Some notable festivals can be mentioned, such as the Ban Flower Festival of the Thai ethnic minority in Dien Bien, held annually in the second lunar month (the Ban flower is a symbol of a pure and faithful love); the Muong village praying festival of Thai ethnic people and Muong ethnic people; the Tay ethnic minority's Long Tong Festival, held in the first lunar month; and so on.

 

Khen Mong Festival in Ha Giang Province (Photo: dantocviet)

Another spring is coming, and Northwest Vietnam still has hidden charms waiting for you to discover. Quickly plan your spring trip to fully explore the land and people of the Northwest.